News Releases - Air

EPA Proposes Approval of Arkansas GHG Program

(DALLAS – December 18, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed to approve the State of Arkansas’ program for permitting new facilities that will emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs). If approved, the state’s program will replace a federal plan that had been in place since January 2011.

Final approval would provide the State of Arkansas with authority to issue GHG permits and establish appropriate emissions levels for new or heavily modified GHG sources. These types of emissions, which contribute to climate change, are regulated under the Clean Air Act’s provisions to prevent new facilities from significantly decreasing air quality. While the EPA believes states are best positioned to regulate GHGs, the agency has been the GHG permitting authority in Arkansas since the state did not have such a program in place.

The State of Arkansas and EPA worked together to develop the state’s permitting program as a replacement for the federal plan. The EPA’s proposed approval will be published in the Federal Register in seven to 10 days and will available for public comment for 30 days.